Philippines storm toll rises sharply

The death toll from Typhoon Son-Tinh in the Philippines rose sharply to 24 Saturday as casualty reports from isolated central islands and the far-flung south flooded in, the government said. Drowning and landslides were given as the cause of 11 deaths on small islands in the country's mid-section, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in its latest tally. The other 13 victims were carried away by flash floods, buried by landslides, hit by falling trees and flying debris, electrocuted, or died from exposure to the cold, it added. The official death toll from the typhoon, which was classed as a weaker "tropical storm" when it passed over the Philippines, had stood at six on Friday. Eight fishermen from the central and southern Philippines remained missing at sea, the government agency said. Rescuers are also still searching for a man believed buried in a landslide on the main southern island of Mindanao, it said, adding that more than 15,000 people displaced by the storm are still sheltering at government buildings and receiving disaster aid. Food and other forms of aid were given to nearly 40,000 others who chose to remain at home or temporarily moved in with relatives or friends, it added. The Philippines endures about 20 major storms or typhoons each year that occur mainly during the rainy season between June and October.